Catholic Charities launches
new program to help needy

PORTLAND — Catholic Charities is responding to the increase in people seeking help for basic needs by establishing The Catholic Charities Mother Teresa Program.

The Mother Theresa Program is designed to assist Portland residents, of any faith, with basic emergency needs such as fuel, food, clothing and utilities. It will not cover rent or security deposits.

Since the fund was established last month, it has been flooded with requests and has helped 52 households.

Funding for the program is a collaborative effort of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, the Catholic parishes of Portland, the St. Vincent de Paul Soup Kitchen and Catholic Charities.

For information about how to help the Mother Teresa Fund or to request help, please call 1-800-781-8550.  

New drop-in day center
opens in Brunswick

BRUNSWICK — Faith communities in the Brunswick/Topsham area have come together to open The Gathering Place, a drop-in day center for the homeless or for people wanting a place to relax and socialize during the day.

The Gathering Place is located at the Seventh Day Adventist Clothing Center at 84B Union St. in Brunswick. It is staffed by volunteers from area churches, and its hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Mid Coast Presbyterian, First Parish UCC, St. Paul’s Episcopal, the Brunswick Seventh Day Adventist Church, and the Brunswick Area Interfaith Council worked together to launch the day center with the goal of providing a stress-free place for people to drop in.

Awards

Mid Coast Hospital was named to the 2010 Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Hospital Honor Roll for its continuing success and commitment to quality improvement initiatives. Mid Coast is one of seven hospitals in Maine selected for the Honor Roll and one of 40 in New England.

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project recently held its annual awards event where several volunteers were recognized for their commitment to providing free and low-cost immigration legal assistance for low-income residents. Law firm Drummond Woodsum was presented with the Pro Bono Firm of the Year award. Robyn March, Esq., of the law firm Lambert Coffin was named the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year.  James Wagner, Esq., of Cape Elizabeth, received the Mentor Attorney of the Year award. Other awards were presented to Lisa Adams, JD, Legal Volunteer of the Year; Jill Welch, Clinic Volunteer of the Year; and Sister Patricia Pora, Community Volunteer of the Year.

Local 4-H youth members and adult volunteers were presented awards at the annual 4-H Winterfest celebration. Youth awards were given to Eben Benson, Sara Conant, Samantha Grant, Aryn Martin, Ashley Martin, Allison Moon, Brittany Moon and Katie Thuotte. Three volunteers were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the 4-H program:  Nicole Foster of Windham was named Outstanding Rookie 4-H Leader; Mark Winslow of Falmouth received the 2010 Outstanding 4-H Volunteer of the Year; and Dick Wood of Gray was honored for 50 years of service to the youth of Cumberland County.

The Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce presented Yes! Marketing Group with the 2010 Beacon Award for Business Leadership in recognition of the marketing firm’s support of local businesses, the Yarmouth Clam Festival, environmental, animal rights, and socially responsible non-profit organizations.

USM Professor of linguistics Judy Shepard-Kegl of North Yarmouth was recently presented an Outstanding Achievement Award at the region one conference of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf for her contributions to the deaf and interpreting communities.

Appointments

Paula D. Silsby of Portland, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Maine, was recently named the 2011 chairwoman of the Campaign for Justice, which raises funds on behalf of civil legal aid providers in Maine, including Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Legal Services for the Elderly, Maine Equal Justice Partners, Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, and Pine Tree Legal Assistance.

Jessica Stevens of Freeport was elected treasurer of the Maine Public Relations Council. Vreeland is the social media strategist and public relations coordinator at Vreeland Marketing & Design in Yarmouth

Lennie Burke, vice president of regional operations at Downeast Energy, has been appointed to the board of directors for the Maine Energy Marketers Association.

Yacht broker Suzanne Ellis of New Wave Yachts in Falmouth was elected treasurer of the Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Association, an amateur athletic organization to promote yacht racing.

Shari Broder, Esq., an arbitrator and mediator in Freeport, was recently re-elected to a third term as president of the Freeport Community Library Board of Trustees.

At a recent Portland Water District Board of Trustees’ meeting, Wayne Ross, who represents South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, was elected vice president of the board.

The Maine Innkeepers Association has elected the following three local members to its executive committee: Jeanne Carpentier, regional director of sales, Emerald Hospitality of Freeport, second vice president; Sue Ferrell, Down East Village of Yarmouth, treasurer; and Gus Tillman, Holiday Inn By The Bay of Portland, senior advisor.

Nancy Grant of Portland has been named the new executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Grant formerly served as the coalition’s board president for the past two years.

Portland Green Independent Committee recently held its annual meeting and elected new officers for 2011. Anna Trevorrow was named chairwoman; Anthony Zeli was named secretary; and Seth Berner was elected treasurer.

Adrianne Fouts of Falmouth, an attorney in Verrill Dana’s litigation and trial group and intellectual property and technology practice group, was recently elected to the board of directors of Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.

The Maine Association of Retirees has appointed Gary Reed of Falmouth as co-chairman of the association’s legislative committee.

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